"Home is Where the Heart is"

Families are priceless as all of you know, but extremely so when the Mission President gave me permission to fly home Friday afternoon, returning early Monday morning, to attend the wedding of our first grandchild...Amanda Grace Call who married such a fine young man!   He is Cole Peterson and currently attending the Police Academy at the Point of the Mountain.  Pres Connely married them in the Mt Timpanogoes Temple.  What an incredible event!!!!!

The events of the week in Washington were incredible.  We have been called as missionaries to
"Rescue " those that have become less active because they basically have forgotten those things they believe, have forgotten how loved they are by our Heavenly Father, and  have stayed away long enough that coming back to church frightens them.  I think we can all understand this.
Well, we met Alice 4 weeks ago with a dog in her arms, a scowl on her face and a door opened about 10 inches.  We introduced ourselves as Missionaries of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and asked if we could visit with her. She said no.  Well, we are two  'tough ole ladies' and we continue to visit with her....and the door did not close!  She then asked us to come in for 5 minutes!  She has received her endowments, was in the Stake Primary Presidency 15 years ago when the Ward boundaries were changes...and somehow her feelings were hurt.  Her husband is a nonmember, she has few friends....so, she has chatted with herself for 15 years probably with negativity as her main focus.  Well, our 10 minutes expanded to 75 minutes with her tears rolling as she explained her unhappiness.  BUT, she said, she  was not coming back!!!!!!!  However we had planted some seeds of  love.   Three weeks later we returned to a friend who was glad  to see us.  She does genealogy and loves it.  Her attitude was softer.  She radiated a different light.  The Spirit of the Holy Ghost had bore witness of truths she knew...and was reminded of.  As we left about an hour later she asked,
"What time does Sac. Meeting start?  I just was wondering...not that I am coming...just wondering".
Will she be there today?  I don't know because I am in Orem, but my prayers are for her to have the courage to be bold in the face of Satan.  I will tell you next week.  Take the time to read Mosiah  28:3
And know this shares my feelings, and hopefully all of us as we...stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things and in all places.
Sister Carter and myself went to Seattle last Monday on P-Day.  We went to Pier 54 and ate 2 pounds of absolutely DELICIOUS snow crab!  Great event and rode the Ferris Wheel on the  pier.....and the SUN WAS SHINNING!!!!!!!  We could see the city and the ocean!
Thanks for being with me as I visit with you.   I love what I am doing.  I love these dear people, in fact I just love people because we are all the same, whether in Rome, Italy,  Orem, Utah or in Dallas, Texas, and I know God loves each of us...we are his children.

I love my Father in Heaven and I hope He is pleased with the work my companion and I are doing in the Washington Seattle Mission.
Please take the time to ponder on your own beliefs and to set a goal this new year to study more, serve more, love more and mutter less.  We all are so blessed to know what we know about the Plan of Salvation and we need to improve our committment to Him and His plan.
Talk to you in a week, and as Steve taught me..."Make this a Great Week!"